Washington State reports biggest pay gain again

Five other States had pay gains in excess of 6.0 percent in 1998: Colorado (7.3 percent), Georgia (6.3 percent), Virginia (6.2 percent), Minnesota (6.1 percent), and Texas (6.1 percent). In the U.S. overall, average annual pay rose by 5.1 percent from 1997 to 1998.

Annual wages in the faster-growth States were very close to the U.S. average. Average pay in Washington State was $33,076, which was not much higher than the comparable U.S. figure of $31,908. Colorado workers were paid $32,246 and in Minnesota workers received $32,073, both slightly above the U.S. average. Pay was somewhat below the U.S. average in Texas ($31,512), Virginia ($31,384) and Georgia ($30,873).